Sounding apparatus.



F. 6; G. F. STEVENS.

$50UND1NG APPARATUS.

APPLICATWN HLED MAR. 24,1914.

Pdmntedhn lnl n.

3 SHEETS-"SHEET I.

@QQQQ QQQQQ @IIgEiEEE F. & G. F. STWENS.

SOUNDING APPARATUS.

mwucmon man MAR. 24. I914.

. Patented J 1115 17, 1917.

3 SHEETS SHEET 2.

INVENTURS a r Mk '1 i. M W. 02 3 ATTURNEY F. & F. STEVENS SUUNDQNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATIQN FILED MAR. 24. mm.

fine-552E M FRANK STEVENS AND. GEORGE F. STEVENS. OF PHILADZELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SOIIINDING APPARATUS. I

Application am much 24, 19141, Serial 1101 826,866.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that we, FRANK S'ravimaand GEORGE F. S'rm'nxa, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of'lhiladelphia and htal'eof Penn sylvania, have invented a new and-useful SoundingApparatus, of which the folli'iwing controllingl'jelectric circuits leading to the] I i 'i o he Mfcct ed bywater pressure throu' h.

is a specification. a

'Ourjnvention -relates to instruments for measuring depths of water, and its objects are to pmi'ide an apparatus adapted toaccnrj rately measure water depths irrespectu 'e of,

the, length of line spent, to tl'ai sinitttp the surface and there exhibit and register the depths so measured at'thc exact instant of their attainment, to opt-rate cont-inuo usl at val? ing depths without withdrawal aiu. re

casting, and, to display depth indications eq i'i',- illy clearly in daylight and at night, or inqdark places. a

lfor the purpose of attainingtheseohjects" we install in a suitable plummet a pressure gage adapted to-operate electric switches i surface, wlierc these circuits include and 10-- tuatesuiliihle indicating and recording instruments, as shown by the mechanism illus tratcd in the acconipanying, drawings, in

. 'cclion of thepluni:

met showingthe ga and switch mecha-. nism: Fig. a plan view of the switch mcclmnism: Fig. i a detail View of the re lay-indicalor applicable for night use or use in darlu-ncd places: Fig. l, a detail view, pa rtly in sccti-on. of a lamp cell used in the sanic: Fig. a side clo'valion of the mechanism to opcratc lhc indicators, with a dial" and arrow lo'liiusA-d in daytime or in light rd stations: Fig. (i, a top'vicw' of the same with the onlsidc easing removed; Fig. 7 .a side elevation of the SilllN' showing attached thcrclo arrow and dial for daylight inilicalions and relay for night indications; Fig. a modification showing part ofthe night indicator mechanism installed directly in the sinker and conncclrd electrically with the lamps: Fig. l a rcduitcd view showing sounder submerged and a testing or proving attachment fastened to the lead line; and, Fig. 10, a detail perspective view of .rotalalilc member 17, and adjacent parts, with a. portion oi the insulating bed broken away to show ronslrncl'ion of metallic connections.

' Specification of Letters ratent,

' indicated by the broken part in Fig. 1.

Patented July 17, 1917.

Similar index characters refer to similar parts throiighout the several news. The electric 'Wlllng as drawn 1H merely diagrammatu: to conveniently show the con elections lie-tween these'veral' eleni'ents and is not, of course, intended to,appear as actui 50 'allvlinstalled 1: {1 i i For the pnrpt'ise' of ilh'istratii'ig our invention 'we have described. and shown] in. the drawings in; form v.tl'1e1 'e'of. at;,.p'resent preferred by us, althojnghfitgis to, beYunderstood as that the; a'riou i' nst'rument'alities l'or; their can;, bc ariously agriin g ,1 and that gmir ii nti'oii is not to limited to the ]n"ec'ise;a'-angement,- form and or: ganizatio as shown-and described and that we 're'serr {theflghtto organize and re-arl iiistriunentalities, or their equiv:

f thin the; scope-jot our invention. l a

riiction the weight or piu mmet} lie-)1; provided with :L chai'ghheifl 2, in which is hermetically sealed api essure gage, iiit'ake 'dphirig, 4, eipdsed so-as on large openings, 5, made at opposite si' cs oftl-iep'hinimet,below thelopening 4. .This I plummet mayfbe of any suitable shape or for'mQand of any-weight, desired, additional inateriiil be added by way of elongation as We have used a gage of the Bourdon type, but. any reliable pressure gage having a movable part adapted to operate an electric switch may he employedl F ast to the shaft, 6, of the gage, instead of a haud or arrow, we show' a contact making-aml-hreaking member, '7, adapted to have one extremity; 8,.travcl over a series of contacts, 9, and the other extremity, 1(),,]ie hctwccn contact iosts, 11 and 12, so that when moved by he action of the gage this,

i' nd will make contact with either the one or the olher. The contactse hyne shown asradial tccth of an are shaped conductor, 13,

' provided wilh a binding post, H, to which a lead, 1-5 is s'ccurcd.

"Ihis conductor and its teeth, which no cupy'the place of a dial, are embedded in fiber, hard rubber or other non-conducting substance, 16, so as to be com letely insulated from the other parts 0' the device. The contact posts, 11 and 12, are shown depending from a rotahlc non-conducting with the ring 19, and, similarly, the binding posts 22 and 23 will always be in electrical member, 17, loosely centered on a shaft, 18, from a support 18*. .These depending contact posts are extended in annular concentric lines, 19' and 20, on the member 17, so as to always be in contact with the projections of the binding posts, 22 and 23. Thatis to say, the depending contact post 11, pierces the insulating bed 17 of the rotatable member and is electrically connected so as to hepart of the inner metallic ring, 19, and the depending post 12 is similarly a projection from the outer metallic ring, 20. The binding post, 22, extends through the insulating block 21, set in the arm 18 and depends so as to be always in slidable contact post 23 -is always in slidable contact with the ring 20, so that, no matter in which d1- rcction the member 17 may be turned, the

connection with the depending contact posts 11 and 12, respectively. The leads 24 and 25 are secured, respectively to the binding posts 22 and 23. The three leads, 15, 24* and 25, are suitably insulated against moisture and are assembled so as to enter into and form a part of the line 28 in the water-tight conduit, 26, in the bail-piece 2'7, of the plum- Diet, so as to pass outside and be carried -thereby to the surface. The bail-piece is re- :morable as shown at 29 so as to facilitate the attachiiig of-the line and the leads' The plummet is also jointed at 30, to permit ,of the'handy installation or examination of the gage and switch.

Theconduit 26 and the joints 29 and 30 are of course made \VHIUf-[lghLiDY packing, washers,- or other-.

wise, so as to seal-in and protect the gage:

' and switch-inochanism within the chamber 2.

It is evident from what has been' said that, as thcJnembcr 7 is urged by the action of the gage in clockwise direction, the-exlri-mitv It) will make contact with the .post ll. and the extremity 8 with one of the sol'ivs olcontacts 5), so as to electrically coniwt't the loads 15 and 24; and,-as the member 7 advances away from zero over successive .-ontai:t tooth; 'a series of such electrical mama-lions l)('l\\'(l'll said leads 'Ill be lntermitivntly established and broken. Similarly. wln-m-i'i-r member 7 is returned toward Zero. ihr extremity it) will lose contact with the post I1 and make contact with post 12, nlwwnupon (hr leads 1:: and 25 will be inh-rmitu-nlly count-(led and disconnected. Now assmning Ihat van-h ol lho'two circnils, viz. l3 and il, and I5 and 25,----l5 being, for example, a] "lllllllUll negative--i; other- Wiso rlosod, and includes .1 battery or other soul-re ol' (-lm1t11\-nioti\'o lorr-o, il is evident. that when nu-ml -r T :nlram-i-s from zero a series o! impulses will passlhrough" (he l'ormC-l' onrnil. and when ll rmolh's tow'aro Zorn. a series of impulsvs will pass through (hr hdtcr. i

' The leads 15, 24 and 25, being carried by the line 28, from the bail-piece to the surface, are run to the instruments necessary to complete the operation by'lndicating and recording the actual depths attained. This may be accomplished by using any appropriate combination of eleetro-mechanical de-,

end an arrow, 32,-adapted to describe a' path along are 33, which is'graduated as mentioned in half-fathoms. Centered on said shaft between the frame plates is a ratchet wheel, 34, having one-half of its teeth, 35,, ioiated .,in.;one direction .toad--- vance the w ieel clockwise, and the other half of the teeth, 36, pointed in the opposite direction to reverse the rotation. A vertical pawl carrier, 37, is slidably studded to the frame plate A, and is provided with a pawl,

38, normally held, by spring 39, into engagement with a clockw se tooth, 35. This pawl has a lateral horizontally projecting pin, 40. Similarly, mounted .on' pawl carrier, 41, which is slidably studded to frame plate B, is the pawl '42, normally-held, on the opposite side of the ratchet-wheel, 34, into engagement with a reversing tooth, 36, by-the spring, 43, and provided with a lateral iin, 44. A horizontal rod, 45, slidably studi .ed to plate A,.is adapted at one end to engage pin 44 and when moved toward the pin, to throw the pawl, 42 away from the ratchet wheel and out of engagement with teeth, 36, whereby the wheel-is left free to be rotated b the pawl 38. Near the other endof the iorizontal rod, 45 is a. pin or roller, 46. Nearby and parallel with thepawl-carrier 37, is the lifting rod 47, also slidably studded to the frame-plate, A. The pin, 4(i,-is normally held into contact with "this lifting rod, by the action of spring,

-13. Adjacent to this point of contact is a spring cam-acting member. 49, adapted when raised to force the rod, 45, toward the pawl, l2, h v wodging the pin it; away from rod 17, and, as thisraising continues, to hold the pawl, l2, away from the wheel, until 'the ram 4!! has upwardly advanced past the pin, 46, whereupon the rod 13, under the m-nnbinod action of springs 18 and "I3, snaps bark and the pawl 12 again engages a. loolh 36. This cam member, l, is shaped so that on the downward moronn-nt of the to the lamps and magnets in the night indicator as herein described, is separate and distinct from that controlled by the member 7 in :he plummet, and this form of indicator is substantially a relaying instrument to control lamp circuits synchronously with the circuit from the gage actuated switch. Although it is preferable to have the dial actuating mechanism separate and distinct from that which actuates the lamp system, so that both the dial form which may beemploycd within a vessel, as in the engine-rooom, and the lamp form used in the pilothouse or on the bridge, may checkup each other, it is not actually essential. The switch-arm 71 may be centered on shaft ill of the same apparatus as operates a needle and dial, and the are 74 containing the poles 73 be positioned to 'he in contact ti: and the separate battery and \virin izlsltlllfll. The lamps may be. located anywhere; in the same station as the dial, or elsewhere; or, any number of banks of lamps, asin the case of dials, may be employed so as to indicate at ,-':lli0llS stations, in the form most appropriate to'the locations.

' It is also evident that, by runningthe necessary number of wires from the surface to the-plummet, the arm 71, and poles 73 may be installed directly on the gage to be operated thereby, inlieu of the three wire system herein described, and the lamps and -'magnets actuattll by the currents therefrom without the use of the solenoids 54c and 4 and their attendant mechanical parts.

\Vhen the night indicator is operating. as each lamp is lighted by the. clockwise motion of the/arm 71', its inelosing shutter drops open, and thus marks the greatest depth attained, for, as the depth decreases and the lighting process recedes toward Zero, the lamps will burn in reverse order, but all released shutters will remain open until reset by hand, and the last open one will show the greatest depth allained during the operation, irres 'mctive. of whatsoever lamp may be burning at any given stage.

Any number of stations, at various places may be established for taking readings, by simply making branch circuits. As, if used on a large steam -ship, one. may be in the pilotrhouse. another in the-engine room. and still another on deck near the place. of cast ing the line; or, a portable. indicator may be attached by flexible leads and carried from place to place.

Likewise, the. location and character of the generator is optional, and. as already nu-ntioned. the wirim shown is nu-rely diagrzuun'iatic. ()n small boats. where a comparatively light, portable apparatus would be, most suitable, the battery may be included within the plummet itself. or in the hand cabinet in which the receiving instru ment is ineascd. (in large vessels, where it may be found expedient to have several established receiving stations, at varying distances apart, current may be taken from a dynamo or other source at hand.

'used, due allowance being made for any obliquity of the line, it should be a very 'fair indication that the pressure gage and switch in the plummet are in accurate working condition after the operation, and that, consequently,'the various depths previously recorded are reliable and-correct. It is evident that other electrically actuated means may be substituted as equivalents for the mechanism herein described without departing from the scope of our invention. The obyious'ly important advantage of our device is that it-shows the true vertical depth, utthe exact instant of its attainment, regardless of length of line out, and that there is no delay in obtaining readings, which may be. had with equal facility in daylight or darkness without theaid of auxiliary lights,- nor can there be liability to error by reason'lot accident, mistake, or 'miscalculation in reelingin.

Having thus explained the nature of our invention and deserilml and shown a manner of constructing the same, although without attempting to-fully 'set forth all the forms in which it may bei'eonstrneted or all the modes of itsuse, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a. sounding device. iueo nbination. a sinker. electrical a-; tinting circuits leading thereto. means, can led' tliereby, adapted to he. so operated by waterpressure as to close and open dillerent cncuits with the rise and fall. respectively. of said sinker. and means included in said circuits to indicate such rise. and fall. I

- 2. in a sounding device, in combination, a. sinker, electrical actua ing circuits leading thereto. means. carried thereby. adapted to be so operated by water pressure as to close and open different circuits with the rise and fa "-speetively, of said sinker. means in- (El-cw in said circuits to indicate such rise a! Ggll and other means actuated by said circuit to reproduce such indications at divers locations.

3. in a. sounding device, in combination, a sinker a. movable member carried thercbv and a apted to be oscillated by varying waiadapted to be alternatctr cxcitcd by the os- 5 clllatlon of said movable-nn*mbcr and to synchronously oscillate said indicator means. 4. In a sounding device. lll combinat on, a sinker. a movable mombcr carrn-d thereby and adapted to licoscillatcd by varying \r-a- 1 ter pressures, an electrically actuatcd indi- 6. In a sound'ng" cator. oscillatom means thcrcon adapted to make indications, intermediate electrical: actuat-in circuits adapted to be alternately oxcited y the oscillation of said movable member and to synchronously oscillate said indicator means, an oscillating relay arm actuated synchronously by said circuits, mean's actuated by the oscillation of said arm to reproduce at di reis locations. the movements of the oscillatory mem ber carried by said sinker.

5. In ii sounding device, in combination, a sinker, electric actuatin circuits, means carried by said sinker-a. apted tobe influenced by water" pressure sofas to control the flow of cu'rrenfithrough said circuits,a relay actuated "byisaidcurrents, ioth er i-cir j cuits the currents in'wh'ich are controlledby said rela indicators in said latter circuits adapted to be operated'ther'ehy in 'n- 'chrony with the: new of current. through said former circuits.

device, in c0mb i n ati m 1,f a sinker. an 'elementbarried therebyadapted" to be oscillated bf'ithe rise'and'dro fof'saild sinker in wateri' an" oscillatory'ire i iaim; ad a'pted to be ope ated, by electricity; electrical conductors between said element and d arm, means actuated by currents intro.- duced into saidconductors 'by' the motion to cause the latter to oscilof th" former late synchronously with the former, a plurality of ill' tory indicatoisaidaptcd to be actuatedii}.electricitr; 'clcctrieal actuat ing connections 'betwemi said relay arm and. said indicators ineiuding'mcims whereby the P per are caused .tojoscillate synchro nously with the former-and witheach other. 7: In a' sounding-device. in combiiia-tiox'ni a sinker, a movable member carried thereby and adapted totravel by Water-pressure: in one direction when Isaid'pressurc is increasin; and ma reverse'direction"'whon said pressure is decreasing; a switch adapted to he so operated by the Increments of said member. as to introduce an electric current into a given circuit when said pleasure is increasing and to'shift said current into a difi'crent circuit when said pressure changes to diminishing, elitxwtricall) actuated indicating means adapted .to show said changes of ressure. electrical conductors between sai switch and said indicating means irhcrcby the latter is caused to operate in our dircction when said pressure is increas- 9. In a sounding device, in combination.

a pressuregage carried by a sinker, a duplcx electric switch operated by said gagc. an clcctrii-mcchanical relaying device adapled to operate both ways, electro-nmcl'iai\ical indicators adapted to operate in both directions, actuating electrical comlnctors con-- ncclmg said switch with saidrelay, and other actuating electrical -conductors connccting said relay-with saidindicators, substantially as and for the purposes described.

10. In avsounding device; in combination, a sinker, an electric switch carried thereby. pressure controlled actuatingmca ns adn pt ed to cause said switch tomalce contactin ouc" li|' c tion n'l er aid sinker is desccmb Jig and tonjakc contacts in the opposite dir .ti" i lic n said sinker is ascending. elect 'ro-lnaglnqts, electrical conductors bet-worn said.sw iti:h and said magnets. an indicator,

ineaiis metuated by-said magnets to advance said-indicator whensaid-switch is contacting'in onedirection-and to return said indi catoi hylicnsaidfsn tch is contacting in the oppositcdirecticn.'

1111; Ina sounding device. in '(aimbination,

pressure-controlled actuating mcans ad aptearn: cause saidswitch to make contact in one dirc'ctionfichcn said sinkcr is descendmg and makcgcontact in the opposite-direction when said sinker is asccm'ling. clclcs tray-magnets. electrical conductors between sa'd switch and pic-cc. a plurality of electriclamps having their conductor terminals grouped in a series sons to be trarcrscd by said contact-piccc While it is reciprocating, means actuated by said magnets to advance said contact-piece when said switch is making contact ii: one direction andflto return said contact-piece fiyhen said switch is making contact in the op posite (1i i'ection. v

[12. In a soundimj; device. in combination. asinker. pressure controlled actuating mechanism carried. thereby, a. forwardand-backward-actingclmtric switch operated by said mechanism. aconductor having a serics of terminal contacts arranged contiguous to said switch so as to he traversed thereby. eloctro-magncts, a forward-andhackward-acting indicator. intermediate actuating mechanism between said magnets and said indicator. conductors from Said magnets to said first mentioncd conduct r said magnets. a contact.

and conductors from said magnets to said switch, whereby said magnets are caused to carry said indicator forward and backward synchronously with theforward and backward action of said switch.

13. In a sounding device, in combination, sinker, pressure controlled actuatin mechai'iism carried thereby, a forward-an backward-acting electric switchoperated by said mechanism, a conductor having a series of terminal contacts arranged contiguous to said switch so as to be traversed thereby, electro-magnets, a' forward-andbackward acting contact member, intermediate actuating mechanism between said magnets and said member, conductors from said magnets to said first mentioned conductor and conductors from said magnets to said switch whereby said magnets are caused to carry forward and backward Said contact member synchronously with the forward and backward action of said switch,

a plurality ofelectric lamps having their conductor terminals grouped in a series so as to be traversed by said contact member, whereby said lamps are successively and in each direction lighted and darkened ,in

synchrony with the actions of said switch.

14. In a sounding device, in combination, a sinker, an electric switch carried thereby,

pressure controlled actuating'means adapt cdto cause said switch to make contact in one direction when said'sinker is descending and to make contact in the contrary direction when said sinker is ascending, electroniii'gnets, electrical conductors including a,

source of electromotive force between said by said magnets to rotate said shaft in one direction when. said, switch is acting in that direction and to rotate said shaft in the contrary direction when the action of said switch is in the contrary direction, whereby said indicator is caused to reciprocate, and said lamps are. successively li hted and darkened, in likedirections an synchronously with the r eciprocations of said switch and with each other.

15. In a soundingdevice, in combination, a sinker, a guide-line to control the same, a plainly visible'depth marker on said' line, a pressure gage in said sinker adapted to operate a duplex electric switch whereby a circuit is established when sai-dsinkcr is descending and a different circuit is established when said sinker is ascending in water, an adapted to operate in both directions; conductors between said switch and said indicator so connected as to advance said indicator when s. 1d .;s1nker s. deseend1ng in water and toi-return said indIcator-when switch and said magnets, a shaft, a reciprocable indicator actuated thereby, a reciprocable contact-arm actuated thereby, a plurality of electric lamps including a source of electromotive force having their conductor terminals arranged in succession contiguous to said arm so as to be traversed 1n bOth dII'BCtIOlIS thereby, means actuated said sinker isascending in water, anddler recording-piece adapted to ,be urged for-- ward by the forwardmotion of said in electro-mechanicaiindicator dicator but to remain unaffected by its return, a contact -'member 'actuated by said indicator :so as to .alternate synchronously therewith, a plurality; of inclosed electric lamps includinga source of electroinotive force having their, conductor termisaid contact member so as to be successively lighted and darkened'by the reciprocations thereof, and means ineach lamp circuit and actuated by its current to expose each lamp as lighted, all substantially as and for the purposes described.

FRANK STEVENS.

GEORGE" F. STEVENS.

Witnesses;

"ALBER S. WRAI,

W; J. WRAY.| 

